Tuesday, 14 March 2017

1780-luku: Uusi projekti, osa 1 - 1780's: A new project, part 1

Mitä 1780-luvun suomalaisella palvelustytöllä oli yllään?

1. osa: alusvaatteet

What did a 1780's Finnish maid wear?

Part 1: undergarments

1700-luvulla aluspaidan alaosa ommeltiin joskus säästäväisyyssyistä karkeampilaatuisesta pellavakankaasta kuin sen yläosa. During the 18th century, the lower part of the chemise or smock was sometimes made of a coarser fabric for economical reasons.

Ever
since last fall I've been planning a new late 18th century sewing
project. This project is inspired by a set of paperdolls published in
1995. What is great about this is, that most of the dresses in this
thing are based on actual garments that are kept in the collections of
Turku Museum Centre. The set has two charachters: a late 18th century
gentlewoman and her maid. The first mentioned has several outfits to
choose from - as one might imagine. The servant gril has only one set of
clothing. I hope I can show you some details of this lovely paperdoll
set in the future.

1700-luvun aluspaita ulottui usein vain puolisääreen. An 18th century chemice usually reached around the mid shin.

Linen
was probably the most common material for 18th century smocks as it had
been in the previous centuries. Cotton smocks appear first during the
end of the century. The smocks were cut and pieced from squares and
triangular gores, as they had been ever since the middle ages. The
changes were quite small: for example, during the 17th century the
sleeves became shorter, rising from the wrists to the elbows. During the
end of the 18th century the sleeves became narrower and even shorter.

The
socioeconomical status of the wearer could be seen on the quality of
the fabrics: although a gentile lady could afford to have her smocks
made out of the costly imported Dutch linens, even their everyday smock
might have been made out of home spun and woven linens.

The maid's smock is
cut in the English way, which appears to be the preferred way in late
18th century Finland. The top is made of mid weight white plainwoven
linen and the lower part is made of a coarser unbleached linen.
Everything is hand-sewn with linen thread.

Aluspaidan englantilainen leikkaus. The English cut of the smock.

Helman oikea puoli on leikattu viistoon... The right side of the hem is cut on bias...

... ja vasenta puolta täydentää kolmion muotoinen kiila - aivan kuten Garsaultin kirjassa! ... and the left side is completed with a triangular gore - just like in Garsault's book!

Kainalokiila ja ei niin siistit katesaumat. Ensi kerralla siistimmin.... The armpit gore and the not so neat felled seams. I'll try to do better next time...

Hame rakentuu yhdesta etu- ja takakappaleesta. Kapeammilla aikalaiskankailla eteen ja taakse olisi tullut sauma. The
petticoat is made on a front and a back piece. With the narrower
contemorary fabrics there would have been two additional seams on the
centre front and back.

Alushame puetaan seuraavasti: ensin takaosan vyötärönauha sidotaan eteen... The petticoat is dressed like this: first the ribbons of the back piece are tied at the waist...

... lopuksi etuosa kiinnitetään samaan tapaan nauhoilla solmimalla. ...lastly, the front side is attached with the ribbon in a similar fashion.

Ja voilà: aluskerrokset on puettu! And voilà: the undergarments are on!